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Wow, I mean just so little effort on the website.

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    Wow, I mean just so little effort on the website.

    The Sub Bench Registration

    As I'm sure you are aware, the looming issue of IR35 draws ever closer. As a contractor, and if fortunate to be in a contract, this is likely to be your most pressing concern, as time is quickly running out before the reform next year. Obtaining status outside of IR35 determination is critical in these challenging economic times, and action needs to be taken now - IR35 reform is coming.

    The right of substitution is probably the most vital aspect of IR35. If you can practically activate this clause, then your chances of being determined outside of IR35 increase exponentially. We have found a ground-breaking solution to this issue.
    Konvergent is delighted to introduce The Sub Bench: Substitution Services for Contractors.

    We look forward to working with you in the future.

    Kind Regards,

    Ben Clark
    COO, Konvergent
    CEO, The Sub Bench

    #2
    A ground-breaking solution. A web form with broken links, that asks for your phone number twice, and spamming message boards.

    Nope, never seen that before.

    Ben, why don't you tell us a bit more about what this service is/how it works? As you say, it looks like the website is something you threw together this morning.

    What does this actually mean?

    "By substituting the specific design and creative aspects of your contract (for service), you can make genuine substitution a reality and remove the notion of a personal service. This exponentially increases your chances of being determined outside of IR35."


    Last edited by Paralytic; 2 October 2020, 08:32.

    Comment


      #3
      RoS - bloody hell, have we gone back to 2015 or something?

      There's bigger problems with IR35 than proving RoS...
      "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
      - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

      Comment


        #4
        People will sell plasters to cure broken limbs if they can get money from it.
        merely at clientco for the entertainment

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by anonymouse View Post
          The Sub Bench Registration

          As I'm sure you are aware, the looming issue of IR35 draws ever closer. As a contractor, and if fortunate to be in a contract, this is likely to be your most pressing concern, as time is quickly running out before the reform next year. Obtaining status outside of IR35 determination is critical in these challenging economic times, and action needs to be taken now - IR35 reform is coming.

          The right of substitution is probably the most vital aspect of IR35. If you can practically activate this clause, then your chances of being determined outside of IR35 increase exponentially. We have found a ground-breaking solution to this issue.
          Konvergent is delighted to introduce The Sub Bench: Substitution Services for Contractors.

          We look forward to working with you in the future.

          Kind Regards,

          Ben Clark
          COO, Konvergent
          CEO, The Sub Bench

          Hi Anonymouse,

          I apologise if you feel like this, but we have been working hard to put together a great, functional website, full of guides, with an explainer video, legal views, portfolio examples, etc. I think you may have just been looking at our landing page for the sign up form, which was basic admittedly, but hopefully our actual website goes into more depth about our offerings.

          Of course, we have just started, so everything is a work in progress. The more we learn and test things, the better the experience will get for all users.

          The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive but like every company we always look to do things better so will take your comments onboard.

          Regards,
          Ben Clark

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Paralytic View Post
            A ground-breaking solution. A web form with broken links, that asks for your phone number twice, and spamming message boards.

            Nope, never seen that before.

            Ben, why don't you tell us a bit more about what this service is/how it works? As you say, it looks like the website is something you threw together this morning.

            What does this actually mean?

            "By substituting the specific design and creative aspects of your contract (for service), you can make genuine substitution a reality and remove the notion of a personal service. This exponentially increases your chances of being determined outside of IR35."





            Hi Paralytic,

            I would love to tell you more about the service.

            Up until now, the Right of Substitution has been impractical, due to the common belief that substitutes need to be like-for-like. This makes substitution near impossible to complete as even if you managed to find someone to cover a period of time, (which is extremely, extremely difficult) say two weeks the value they would have being dropped into the middle of project would be minimal. Having run many consulting engagements, it generally takes someone 4 weeks to be up and running and adding value. This means that virtually no one has even been able to achieve a like for like substitution.

            However, there is nothing within the IR35 regulations that state the substitute must be a like-for-like replacement for yourself. Substitution needs a different approach, so by substituting the design work of your contract to us, genuine substitution becomes a reality and you remove the notion of personal service, deeming you outside of IR35 using HMRC’s CEST Tool.

            We identified design as the most required deliverable for contractors, as that’s what you spend the most time and effort producing at quality levels far below your normal level of output, so by substituting this work out to The Sub Bench (who are design experts), you will have used a genuine substitute which helps in your case against IR35.

            We have had this solution verified by legal experts, as you can read here: < mod snip: google it>

            I apologise if the web form was broken, but we have fixed all problems with it (including the double phone number). We also have not been spamming message boards. So far, our only form of contact is with existing customers from the holding company. This solution is perfect for many of Konvergent’s customers, therefore we believe they will have a legitimate interest in the offering.

            I also believe you may have been looking at our landing page for our registration form, rather than our website. This goes in depth about our services, with an explainer video, guides, etc. Of course this is all still a work in progress, so we hope to get better at it as we grow and become more established.

            Hopefully that explains everything, but I am available by email at < mod snip: google it> should you wish to discuss anything I’ve mentioned further.

            Regards,
            Ben Clark

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by cojak View Post
              RoS - bloody hell, have we gone back to 2015 or something?

              There's bigger problems with IR35 than proving RoS...

              Hi Cojak,
              There may be bigger problems with IR35 that RoS, depending on the perspective you are looking at it. However, with less than 6 months until the reforms are implemented, taking action now means you are ready for these changes.

              Of the three pillars of IR35, substitution can be the hardest for a contractor to substantiate, while RoS is the most important aspect of IR35. If you can practically activate this clause, then using HMRC’s CEST Tool, you are deemed to be outside of IR35, no matter how you or your client answers any other questions. You can test this by answering the questions on the test yourself here: Check employment status for tax - GOV.UK

              Again, please see what the legal experts have to say about this solution: < mod snip: google it>

              So yes, you may be right, there are definitely more problems with IR35 than just RoS, but to finally have a practical solution that leaves an audit trail to a genuine substitution taking place is great. This definitely aids the substitution problem.

              Regards,
              Ben Clark

              Comment


                #8
                Welcome to CUK Ben,

                Just remember to read the T&Cs before you post again...
                "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
                - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by The Sub Bench View Post
                  Hi Cojak,
                  There may be bigger problems with IR35 that RoS, depending on the perspective you are looking at it. However, with less than 6 months until the reforms are implemented, taking action now means you are ready for these changes.

                  Of the three pillars of IR35, substitution can be the hardest for a contractor to substantiate, while RoS is the most important aspect of IR35. If you can practically activate this clause, then using HMRC’s CEST Tool, you are deemed to be outside of IR35, no matter how you or your client answers any other questions. You can test this by answering the questions on the test yourself here: Check employment status for tax - GOV.UK

                  Again, please see what the legal experts have to say about this solution: < mod snip: google it>

                  So yes, you may be right, there are definitely more problems with IR35 than just RoS, but to finally have a practical solution that leaves an audit trail to a genuine substitution taking place is great. This definitely aids the substitution problem.

                  Regards,
                  Ben Clark
                  I didn't mean that - I meant that +90% of contractors won't be allowed to go outside of IR35 in the first place!

                  The remaining -10% already know how to deal with RoS.
                  "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
                  - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by The Sub Bench View Post
                    Hi Paralytic,

                    I would love to tell you more about the service.

                    Up until now, the Right of Substitution has been impractical, due to the common belief that substitutes need to be like-for-like. This makes substitution near impossible to complete as even if you managed to find someone to cover a period of time, (which is extremely, extremely difficult) say two weeks the value they would have being dropped into the middle of project would be minimal. Having run many consulting engagements, it generally takes someone 4 weeks to be up and running and adding value. This means that virtually no one has even been able to achieve a like for like substitution.

                    However, there is nothing within the IR35 regulations that state the substitute must be a like-for-like replacement for yourself. Substitution needs a different approach, so by substituting the design work of your contract to us, genuine substitution becomes a reality and you remove the notion of personal service, deeming you outside of IR35 using HMRC’s CEST Tool.

                    We identified design as the most required deliverable for contractors, as that’s what you spend the most time and effort producing at quality levels far below your normal level of output, so by substituting this work out to The Sub Bench (who are design experts), you will have used a genuine substitute which helps in your case against IR35.

                    We have had this solution verified by legal experts, as you can read here: < mod snip: google it>

                    <snip>
                    Thanks for taking the time to respond Ben.

                    But, like so many people who have tried to create an income from the IT contracting eco-system, your solution has one huge gaping hole in it - it completely ignores the end client who is paying the contractor.

                    It might be a legal solution, but I can't see how its anything other than a solution for a problem that does not exist in anything other than a niche set of circumstances.

                    I wish you all the best.
                    Last edited by Paralytic; 7 October 2020, 13:42.

                    Comment

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